2 SAMUEL 7
3 Outlines
2 Samuel 7:1-17 etc.
LEARNING FROM A LEADER
Nathan The Prophet was a leader as a man of God in the court of
David. His job was to advise the king in Spiritual matters this was not always
easy.
We learn at least 3 things
about being a leader from Nathan.
1. BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S
DIRECTION 2
Samuel 7:1-17
(Nathan had spoken too quickly when he
said, "The Lord is with thee."
When God told Nathan something different
than what David wanted to
hear, Nathan
obeyed God and delivered the message.)
2. BE STRONG IN GOD'S
DECLARATION 2 Samuel 12:1-14
(What Nathan had to say for God would not
be popular with a king
caught up in sin.
Nathan said what had to be said no matter what the
circumstances.)
3. BE STABLE IN GOD'S
DOMAIN. 1 Kings 1
(When others were leaving to follow
Adonijah to make him King,
Nathan stood firm behind the man God
intended to be King, Solomon.)
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2 Samuel 7
WHEN GOD SAYS "NO"
There are times when we feel like we want to do
something for the Lord, however we find that God says
"No" to our plans. We find David in a similar situation. David wants to do something great for God,
but God said "No!"
GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3
Vs. 1 - This was a time of peace. For what was a probably a long time, David
had rest from his enemies. He had time to think
Vs. 2 - We meet Nathan the Prophet for the first
time. Nathan was a great man of
God. Nathan would be the one to confront
David when David sinned with Bathsheba.
It is apparent that Nathan and David had a good relationship.
David realizes that he, David was living in a nice
house made of cedar, while God's house was a tent.
Remember the ark was a box containing the Ten
Commandments, the rod of Aaron, and a jar of manna.
On top of the ark was the mercy seat. God made his physical presence known by
dwelling above the mercy seat.
David's plan was to build a house for the Lord, and what
better person to bounce it off of than the preacher! David's desire was a good
desire.
God does not always say "yes" to our
desires. Sometimes he has another plan
for our lives, and chooses to use us in other ways. Psalm 47:4, Psalm 75:6-7
Vs. 3 - Here's Nathan's response. "Sound's good to me! Go for it! God is
with you."
There was nothing wrong with David's desire.
Nathan could see the value of a permanent house for
God.
He did what we probably would do. He gave his blessing and even God's.
Perhaps he should have offered to pray about it before
he gave an approval. But I can certainly
see how and why it was easy for Nathan to approve.
GOD'S ANSWER - Vss. 4-6
Vs. 4 - I imagine that the message came from
God to Nathan during a time of sleep.
The important thing is that God had a different plan than David or
Nathan. It was Nathan who got the word
from God.
Nathan was going to have to return to David with a
different answer than what Nathan had given the day before. He was going to have to rescind the blessing
that he had given. He was going to have
to humble himself to admit that he, the prophet of God, had been wrong.
One of the hardest things to do sometimes is to admit
that we are wrong. Our pride keeps us
from being humble enough to say "I blew it. I was wrong."
Nathan gives us a good example to follow. When Nathan realized that he was wrong, he
went to David with the corrected message.
Vs. 5 - It is very important to see what God
calls David.
He
calls him, "My servant".
David
was not in the proverbial "dog house".
God
did not have a low opinion of David.
David was special in the eyes of God, even though God
was not going to let David do what he wanted.
In fact later it was stated that David's thoughts and desires were good.
2 Chronicles 6:8
And when God doesn't let you do what you want, if your heart and motives are pure, God could very
well be pleased with your plans and desires.
He just may feel however, that it is not part of His plan for your life.
And remember this. When God says "no" to His
children, we are still His children! 1 John 3:1
And when God says "no" to his servants, they
are still very precious in His sight. Ephesians 1:3-6
Vs. 5 - Nathan was to go and ask David,
"Are you going to build me a house?"
In a parallel passage, 1 Chronicles 17:4, it says, - Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the
Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
Vss. 6-7 - God makes His point. He has dwelled
in tents since they left
Vss. 8-9 - David was to realize just how much
God had blessed Him. God had taken him
from being a humble shepherd to being a great king with a great name. David was being blessed of God, in spite of
the fact that God did not want him to build a temple.
When God says "no" to something we want to
do, it would do us well to remember all the ways God has blessed us and has
used us.
Also, remember that God has different jobs for each of
us.
David was told later by God that because David was a
soldier, a man of blood, he would not build the temple. 1 Chronicles 22:8-9
We need to remember that God will not give us every
job. He has not qualified us for every job. But whatever job God has given us
we should do well for Him. 1 Peter 4:10-11
Vs. 10 - God gives David another
assurance. There will be a day when
GOD'S ALTERNATIVE - 11-17
Vs. 11 - David wanted to build God a house.
God
tells David that instead, He, God, would build David a house!
Vss. 12-15 - The promise was that Solomon would
build the temple.
Vs. 16 - There will be a time when David's
Kingdom will be established forever through one of his descendents. This of course will be the Kingdom of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel in Luke 1:30-33,
This is so much like God. We want to do something for
God, and well we should. But God wants
to do so much more for us. John 14:12-14
God has a work for us to do, even though it might not
be the work we think it is.
GREAT ACCEPTANCE - Vss. 18-29
David accepted God's plan for his life with joy.
Vss. 18-22 - David was overwhelmed with what he
had been told. He saw that what he was
given was out of the grace of God. And he was grateful.
David was allowed to focus on what he had and not on what he didn't get.
My friend, we should certainly do the same.
1 Peter 2:9-10 - But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light: [10] Which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy.
Now, I don't know what God has said "no" to
you about.
But I do know that He has a plan to use you in His
way.
Why not ask God to show you what it is, and accept it,
even if it was not what you planned on.
Maybe God will let you prepare or help someone who
will fulfill the dreams that you have had, but God has said "no" to.
David did this. 1 Chronicles 22:2-5
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2 SAMUEL 7
WHEN GOD SAID “NO”
· What are some of the situations in which a parent
should say “No” to a child?
· What are some guidelines for knowing when to say “No”
to a child?
· Should a parent ever change his or her mind after
saying “No”?
· What are some of the situations in which God says “No”
to His children?
· When has God said “No” to you?
· What must we remember when God says “No” to us?
In 2 Kings 7 we
see that David had plans to build God a house (temple). God said, “No”. As we study this passage we will see that
even when God says “No”, He does not cease to be gracious and to have good
reasons for the refusals that He makes.
THERE WAS GOOD RESOLVE – Vss. 1-3
· Vs. 1 –
David had a time of peace. What are
times of peace good for?
· One of the things that David did in his time of peace
was to think and plan.
· How are thinking and planning good things?
· Vs. 2 – Nathan the Prophet was a
spiritual advisor to King David. Nathan
was a faithful friend who was not afraid to stand up for what is right. Why do we all need such people in our lives?
· David’s statement in this verse
implied that he was planning to build a permanent building to be the house of
God.
·
David realized
that he, David, was living in a nice house made of cedar, while God's house was
a tent. Remember the ark was a box containing the Ten Commandments, the rod of
Aaron, and a jar of manna. On top of the ark was the mercy seat. God made his physical presence known by
dwelling above the mercy seat.
· Why was David’s resolve a good
resolve?
· Vs. 3 – Nathan was probably thrilled
with the prospects of a new house for the Lord.
He could see no reason why God would say “No”. There are times in our lives when we too have
thought something was a good idea until we prayed about it or gave it more
consideration.
· Perhaps Nathan should have
prayed about this before he gave his approval.
THERE WAS A SURPRISING REFUSAL– Vss. 4-9
· Vss. 4-5 – Notice how God refers to
David. Even though God was about to turn
David down, it did not mean that David had been demoted in God’s eyes. Just because God says “No” to us, it does not
mean that he thinks any less of us. We
just do not have His plans.
·
David’s motives were actually pure and commendable before God. 2 Chronicles 6:8 - But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine
heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine
heart:
· God is even clearer in his
refusal of David’s plans in 1
Chronicles 17:4, where it says, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the
Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
· Vss. 6-7 – What is God’s point in these
verses? What lesson is in it for us?
· Vss. 8-9 – How had God blessed
David? Why is it important for us to
remember how God has blessed us, especially when He says, “No”?
· Remember that God has different
jobs for each one of us. David was primarily a warrior, not a builder. David’s son was to be the builder.
1 Chronicles 22:8-9 - But the word
of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made
great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my
name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. [9] Behold,
a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him
rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I
will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
·
We need to
remember that God will not give us every job. He has not qualified us for every
job. But whatever job God has given us we should do well for Him. Colossians
3:17
THERE WAS COMFORTING REASSURANCE – Vss. 10-17
· Vss. 10-11 – How are these verses
phenomenal promises?
· David is assured of God’s
ultimate plan for
· What Scriptures assure us of
God’s ultimate plan for us?
· Vss. 12-15 – God’s house would be built by
Solomon. David’s desire would be
fulfilled. How should we feel when God
chooses to do through someone else what we wanted to do ourselves?
·
Vs. 16 –
There will be a time when David’s Kingdom will be established through one of
his descendents.
Luke 1:30-33 - And the angel
said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. [31] And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call
his name Jesus. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the
Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
[33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end.
· How would you sum up God’s “No”
answer to David? How would you sum up
God’s “No” answers to us?
THERE WAS AN AWED RESPONSE – Vss. 18-29
· Vs. 18 - David was awed by what God had
done for him.
· Vs. 19 – David was awed by the future
promises for his family.
· Vss. 20-21 – David was awed at God’s
revelation towards him.
· Vs. 22 – David was awed at God’s
greatness.+
· Vss. 23-24 – David was awed at God’s
greatness towards
· Vss. 25-29 – In these closing requests
David expressed acceptance, faith, and desire before God.
· In what ways should our
responses be similar when God says “No” to us?
· 1 Chronicles 29:1-9 shows David’s personal
commitment of his own resources to the building of the temple. Although he would not build the temple, he
did what he could to make the building easier. In these verses we also see
David’s influence on others in the gathering of resources. David was not bitter because he couldn’t
build the temple. He was enthusiastic.